Storage area networks (SANs) are used to connect computing devices and storage devices over a high-bandwidth network communication path such as a fibre channel. Unlike traditional networks that utilize point-to-point communication paths and have distributed file systems, SANs may allow all computing devices access to each of the storage devices. Connectivity is shared among the computing devices and the storage devices within a SAN environment. Although the speed of connections between platforms on a SAN is significantly greater than that of distributed file systems, the basic method of using distributed file system techniques to share data on a SAN may limit the ability of computing devices connected to a SAN to achieve the high performance file replication that may be possible on a SAN. For example, because these computing devices utilize distributed file system techniques, file replication between computing devices on a SAN conventionally requires sending the files over an external network, such as a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). File replication using an external network is undesirable because it may consume most or all of the limited bandwidth of the external network restricting other network communications. Furthermore, external networks are generally not designed to handle file replication, which may require the transfer of very large amounts of data. Another disadvantage is a possible security risk associated with transferring files and file extents over an external network.
Another problem with SANs is that, because of the file and volume management systems utilized by conventional server platforms, SANs are unable to achieve high performance file replication, which may be desirable for server platform fail-over. Fail-over refers to a situation where, for example, recovery of a failed storage device may be achieved through another operational server device. In server platform fail-over, it may be desirable to replicate files without excessive consumption of resources of an external network.
Thus there is a general need for an improved system and method for file replication in a SAN environment. There is also a general need for a system and method that achieves improved file replication without significant use of an external network. There is also a general need for an improved system and method for server platform fail-over in a SAN environment.